Today is the 91st birthday of my newest top-10 favorite actress...the beautiful Lana Turner. (February 8, 1921-June 29, 1995)
In the past year, I have found myself eating my words with regard to the lovely Lana. When I reviewed Madame X last year (HERE), I specifically said that I wasn't much of a Lana Turner fan. In fact, I wrote, I didn't much care for her. Well, my friends, I have changed my tune!! I now completely adore her and wholeheartedly consider her one of my most favorite actresses--just in the past three months she not only made my top 20, but she has almost reached my top 5!! Her roles are generally meaty and dramatic (my favorite kind of film!), and I think she excels in that kind of a role. Without question, I have enjoyed nearly every film of hers I've seen in the past year. What's more, she was such an incredible beauty...surely, one of the most beautiful actresses ever...and she was always so stunningly clothed. Just looking at her is a delight.
My absolute favorite Lana Turner film is Madame X, a total sobber which is easily in my top 5 favorite movies of all-time. Even during the days when I thought I didn't like Miss Turner, I still loved this beautiful, heart-rending film, which ranks up there as the tearjerker of all tearjerkers. Lana's performance in Madame X was beyond spectacular---surely it was the performance of her career. Read my review of that beloved film HERE.
Rounding out my list of five favorite Lana Turner films are:
2. The Postman Always Rings Twice (with John Garfield---reviewed HERE)
3. Homecoming (with Clark Gable---reviewed HERE)
4. Portrait in Black (with Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart, and Sandra Dee---reviewed HERE)
5. Imitation of Life (with Juanita Moore, John Gavin, and Sandra Dee---reviewed HERE)
(As of now, these are my five favorite Lana Turner films; I expect this list to change as I see more of her films.)
As an aside...I've shared before that for a few years before I got married, I lived with my grandparents. Of course, like most people of that generation, they had long been in love with the films and stars from Hollywood's Golden Era. My grandmother's favorite actor was Ray Milland, and my grandfather's favorite actress was Lana. Actually, I remember him raving about her way back when I was a child in the 1960's...and when I lived with them in the early 1980's, he was still raving about her.
One of the TV shows my grandparents enjoyed watching was Falcon Crest, and the 60+ year old Lana Turner was a guest star on that show for several episodes. I found a video on YouTube---wow, she aged beautifully. Elegant and beautiful at 61 years of age! No wonder my grandfather was so smitten with her!
So, Miss Lana Turner, I am remembering you on what would be your 91st birthday. You made so many wonderful films, including several which really touch my heart and bring me to tears. Thank you for beautifying my life through your movies.
